Diseases such as heart disease, stroke and hypertension are global epidemics that affect billions of people worldwide. Hypertension underlies the progression of several debilitating diseases, including heart disease and stroke. Despite widespread use of anti-hypertension medication to counter high blood pressure, the prevalence of hypertension is alarmingly high and constitutes a severe economic burden on health care.
Blood pressure is controlled, in large part, by the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system involves several organs that are responsible for regulating blood pressure such as the brain, heart and kidneys. The kidney is a key element in long-term blood pressure regulation. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, results from hyperactive renal nerves. This, in turn, can cause heart, kidney, and blood vessel damage.
Other systems of the body where nerves activity can affect fluid flow include the carotid sinus, the carotid body, the vagal nerve, the pulmonary artery, the celiac ganglion, and the bladder trigone.